Officials are probing how a 51-year-old highway bridge came to collapse in the Italian port city of Genoa yesterday, killing at least 26 people and injuring 16 others as it sent dozens of vehicles tumbling into a heap of concrete and twisted steel.

Consumer confidence could be casualty of mortgage rate rise

Consumer confidence could have come under further pressure as other big banks joined Westpac in lifting their mortgage rates.

The ANZ-Roy Morgan weekly gauge of consumer confidence is due today.

Last week, confidence dropped two per cent after Westpac increased it standard variable home loan rate by 0.20 percentage points, blaming an increase in capital adequacy requirements.

Since then the ANZ, Commonwealth Bank and National Australia Bank have increased their mortgage rates by 0.15 to 0.18 percentage points.

Treasurer Scott Morrison has been critical of the banks' independent rate decision, saying they need to justify it to their customers rather than trying to shift the blame on the government.

In responding to the financial system inquiry last week, the government accepted a recommendation that will force banks to retain additional funds to ensure the system remains resilient during difficult times.

However, despite last week's decline, confidence was still standing above its long term monthly average, buoyed by earlier gains after Malcolm Turnbull toppled Tony Abbott as prime minister in September.